1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a window molding member, for instance for automobiles, as well as a method of manufacturing such molding members.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automobile employs various kinds of molding members, of which a typical example is a window molding member adapted to extend along the periphery of the front or rear window panes, i.e. along a pair of front or rear pillars and the front or rear edge of the roof panel of the automobile body. A variety of requirements are imposed on molding members mainly from design and/or functional viewpoint, and result in an increased demand in the automobile industry for the molding members whose cross-sectional shape varies in the longitudinal direction.
Specifically, one proposal is disclosed for example in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-54,416, which is directed to a window molding member having an upper portion with a first predetermined cross-section, at least one side portion with a second predetermined cross-section, and at least one corner portion arranged between the side and upper portions. When the molding member is arranged along the periphery of a front window pane the first cross-section of the upper portion contributes to form a so-called flush outer surface of the automobile body, while the second cross-section of the side portion serves to define at least one channel or weir along the side edges of the window pane. Such an arrangement of the molding member ensures that, during driving in rainy conditions, the weir effectively prevents rain water on the window pane from flowing across the side portion toward the side window, to preserve the driver's and/or front seat passenger's view through the side windows.
To produce a window molding member with a cross-section which varies in the longitudinal direction, it is possible to physically divide each molding member into first and second extruded portions with the respectively predetermined cross-sectional shapes, which are connected with each other either by an injection molding process or by using a separate corner connection piece. However, connection of these two portions by means of an injection molding result in formation of undesirable burrs along the juctions and deterioration in the appearance, while use of a corner connection piece results in an increased number of the required components and assembly steps.
Another possibility for manufacturing molding members with a longitudinally variable cross-section is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 62-231,814, wherein the main body of the molding member has a lip section in the form of a ridge, and two leg sections both to be inserted into a gap between the automobile body panel and the window pane. In use, the first leg section along the upper and side portions of the molding member is engaged by a retainer member on the automobile body panel such that the molding member is retained in position. Furthermore, the second leg section is directly engaged with the periphery of the window plate along the upper portion whereby the lip section is brought into direct contact with the surface of the window plate along the upper portion, while a separate erection member accommodating the second leg section therein is engaged with the periphery of the window pane along the side portion such that the second leg section is supported by the erection member and urges and deforms the lip section away from the surface of the window pane along the side portion to form a weir between the window plate and the ridge. Such an arrangement provides refined appearance due to the continuous and smooth surface along the corner portions integrally connecting the upper and side portions with each other. However, use of erection members along both side portions is sometimes problematic in that, besides an increased number of required components and assembly steps, the lip section tends to be deformed when an external force is applied, and it is difficult to stably maintain the desired cross-section of the weir for a long period.